Baan Mae is the sister restaurant to Thip Khao in Columbia Heights, and the same great qualities run through both of them. The ambiance is cozy, and the menus don't seem to have a bad option. It's great for solo dining, as well as sharing with a group of people. I've been a couple of times and I'll always recommend the #EatMoreInvasive section because I love the transparency and that this restaurant is taling advantage of this protein source (I like catfish!). I usually go with the gaeng dang catfish, which is flavorful, creamy, and filling. I really think you can't go wrong with anything on the menu and it's a great place if you like SEA food. read more

Baan Mae - Laotian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Oh salmon belly coconut curry, I need more of you in my life!!! I was at a table of four, and we split tapioca pearl dumplings & spring rolls... The dumplings by far were my favorite, I could've had a whole tray! And then we got our entrees, and seriously, that curry... *Cries* it was SO. GOOD. I'm not sure what else I can say. The tight layout of this restaurant made me feel like I was in NYC haha. Staff were great... Restaurant week situation was a little odd, but outside of that I'd return without a doubt. read more

One of the best spots that hits the soul! Food was spectacular: we got a variety but what stood out was the Sikoo, Thom Khem (super rich and caramelized), the Gaeng Cod curry which was personally my favorite especially eating with the blue rice, and the mee sua which had a pleasant smokiness to it. Service was quick and fast. The interior was a little tight and small, it was a little difficult to sit comfortably at the bar due to the chairs. Overall 10/10 recommend and will be coming back. read more

Baan Mae - THOM KHEM, GAENG GALEE YELLOW CURRY, MEE SUA - Laotian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We started the meal with a Thai tea. (Always safe to have with you if something exceeds your spice level.) It wasn't too sweet and very creamy. Our appetizer of choice was the tapioca dumplings. Very good. Second favorite bite of the night. A great chew with a delicious chili filling. We ate them with the company of the fresh lettuce, they definitely were too small for the lettuce given to us so recommend breaking it in half. May seem obvious to some but... ya know. Next our red coconut curry was brought out and this is just perfect. Sooooo good. Not a drop was left. Just a really satisfying flavor that tastes fresh and creamy at the same time. Lastly the green mussels. Yum. The shrimp flavor was very strong in the sauce and paired nicely with the sticky rice. I will say the herbs made this the perfect bite. So I would have preferred to see more in this dish to balance everything out. Something else was that this dish has two chili symbols on it so I was prepared to be sniffling a bit, (hence why I ordered the Thai tea) but I wasn't at all. So if you prefer a more spicy dish, I would try to request that. Overall great atmosphere for a date night and staff is very attentive and efficient and nice. We came w no reservation and were sat in less than 10 min despite them being busy. Very grateful for that, thanks to Baan Mae! read more

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I'm always excited for Lao food, and Baan Mae did not disappoint! I came here with a friend for a birthday dinner. Even though they are pescatarian, there were still plenty of options on the menu for both of us. We started with Thai green teas, the Sakoo, and the Enoki--both starters were delicious. For mains, we shared the Fried Catfish Laab and the Pad See Eaw with Shrimp. Both were delicious, though I preferred the flavorful laab while my friend loved the Pad See Eaw. My only minor critique was the sticky rice; it was a bit too soft and stuck to my fingers. That said, the Jeow Bong I ordered on the side was incredible. I'll definitely be stopping by often to grab some to go for my home-cooked meals! I'll be dipping everything with Jeow Bong! As someone who grew up eating Lao food, I can confidently say this is the real deal. The space is very small and intimate. We were practically sharing conversations with the table next to us, so I highly recommend making a reservation read more

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Sakoo- tasted like a mochi and spring roll cross over. The filling is a savory peanut sauce. Imagine eating a pan fried summer roll with the dipping sauce wrapped inside. Delightful Gaeng dang curry- yummy yellow curry. It was umami, salty, and there was a touch of spice from the chili oil drizzled on top. I thought the kick of spice was unique and made the dish Pad see eaw- this was also done well. The noodles had a great chewy texture. It was not too salty either I would give it a 4.5 read more

I did take-out and wished I sat at the bar area instead! For a small restaurant, the decors made it feel very welcoming and inviting with the food scene. The pad see ew was different than typical but the noodle texture and flavor were delicious! Service was great too. read more

Baan Mae - Laotian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Such fun and exciting dishes!! So many I wanted to order, textures and flavors are amazing. If you like punchy but hearty dishes this is the place to go. The salad was spicy, sweet, crunchy, just everything you'd want. The crab curry was really good at first but the flavor became too much, super rich and crabby. This review is kind of overdue so I don't remember more about the dishes, I just know I enjoyed this meal THOROUGHLY. Try this place out!! read more

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KenScale: 8.0/10 Visit: August 2026 At this point, many people would instantly recognize Thai food from some of the more popular dishes like Pad Thai or spicy curry. But Southeast Asia is by no means a monolith when it comes to culinary tradition and culture. Vietnam, of course, has a large place in the regional and global culinary scene. How about smaller neighbors in the region like Laos? My wife Jun would love to visit the country one day, but for now Baan Mae would offer a good preview of what the Laotian food tastes like. Chef Seng Luangrath, who has been the face of the Lao Food movement in the U.S. (she also has another restaurant Thip Khao that we had visited before), wants to showcase her country's food at Baan Mae, which also draws from the influence of Thailand and Burma. Overall, we had a very solid dinner at the restaurant. Based on the reviews of the restaurant, it seemed like a no-brainer to order the "FiLao-O-Fish" sliders. The sliders with fried Chesapeake blue catfish (the restaurant has a mission to eat as many of these invasive species as possible) with spicy tofu mayo was indeed a very delicious snack to kick off the meal. Jun, an avid fried chicken eater, also highly approved the crispy fried chicken wings with jaew bong sauce, a traditional Lao chili paste made with mushroom, soy and tamarind. If you are looking for a dish with a bit more neutral flavor, the Hua Pii salad would be a great option. The shredded banana blossom salad with jicama and tamarind sauce had this very addictive quality while also tasting healthy. For the main dish, we shared the Gaeng Daeng Puu red coconut curry with lump crab on the bartender's recommendation, and it turned out to be a wise choice as well. We both wished the coconut curry had a bit more spicy kick, but otherwise the rich flavor was an unexpected antidote to the humid DC summer. We finished our meal with the green Thai tea gelato, which tasted more green tea than Thai iced tea; not a bad dessert but not as distinctive as we had hoped to be. Getting a reservation at Baan Mae is fairly manageable with about a week out. The dining space is fairly modest, but you can also try your luck at the bar area like we did and chat with the bartender to discuss food and drinks options. The restaurant has a number of interesting cocktail options incorporating ingredients and flavors from Southeast Asia, as well as a short list of wines and beers. The atmosphere of the dimly lit dining space with colorful walls feels pretty lively and ideal for a casual get-togethers or dates. Baan Mae has long been on my list of new restaurants to visit, and I'm glad Jun and I finally paid a visit. Jun certainly liked her experience enough to say she can see herself going back again in the near future, and I feel the same. read more

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My wife and I are huge fans of Laotian and Northern Thai flavors, and we adore Chef Laungrath's restaurants in the area. As such, I decided to book Baan Mae in Shaw for Saturday lunch when a group of dear friends visited. The small restaurant seems quite popular, so reservations are highly suggested for weekends. We started with the tapioca dumplings and the chicken meatballs. Both dishes generally ate sweet and lacked the pronounced heat we experience with meals at the groups other restaurants. Texturally, both dishes did well with a pleasantly bouncy dumpling texture and tender meatballs, respectively. I opted for the catfish laab as my main dish. Despite asking for the salad to be made spicy, the heat levels were pretty tame. The laab itself lacked some of the bolder herby and citrus notes I've enjoyed with the dish at sister restaurants Padaek and Thip Kao. I also ordered the dish with a side of sticky rice, and to my surprise the rice lacked the glutinous chew and texture I associate with a well prepared rendition of this grain. In fact, I had to confirm with my server I was being served sticky rice rather than standard jasmine. My companions ordered the bun rieu and crab curry. The bun rieu was solid, though again lacked some of the more funky and tangy seasoning notes I have experienced with exemplary versions of the noodle soup. We had no issue with the rich crab curry, which again ran a little sweet but which worked with the other flavors of the dish. Prices here are generally reasonable, with entrees hovering in the low $20s. Service ran smoothly despite the restaurant being completely filled. The interior is on the modest side with some funky Southeast Asian accents such as a wall mural and hanging sticky rice baskets. Overall, I found the food here less vibrant and compelling than similar dishes I've had at the group's other restaurants. I am not sure if the flavors are tamed to appease the neighborhood or that hewing outside of Laotian cuisine leads to less focus. Regardless, while we had a decent enough meal here I'll be making visits to Padaek and Thip Kao before returning here. read more

DC has an array of restaurants featuring the amazing Southeast Asian cuisine and Baan Mae is one of them. I am so glad I found this cute little restaurant on my trip. The interior is cozy, when it's busy, you sit kinda close to other patrons, sometimes back to back. The decoration is very cute and true to the theme of the food they are presenting, I love the ambiance. We tried two dishes, one is a Laotian version of the Tom Yum soup, which has a strong kick to it: spicier than the typical Thai Tom Yum Soup if you like spicy food. We ordered it mild but it is still very spicy to us. We also sampled a Malaysian dish which is a fried fish sitting in this curry sauce base. Very tasty! I like the carefully curated menu of this restaurant, they pick 1-2 dishes from each SEA country to represent their cuisine and you can get a taste of everything from everywhere if you are with a bigger group of friends! I would recommend family style! Food: 8.5/10 Ambience: 8.5/10 read more

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Checked this out before a concert at The Atlantis last night with my daughter. I'd suggest making a reservation ahead of time since there's not tons of seating. We were greeted as soon as we walked in and didn't have to wait to get to table. Inside was cute and the food was delicious! Tried the DC Tap Water drink which was yummy. Shared an entree so we would have room for dessert at the end. read more

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Baan Mae checks every restaurant box. Good food? Check. Quality cocktails? Yep. Excellent service? Absolutely. A beautiful space? Obviously. A good story? Heck yes! The chef behind this Laotian spot in Shaw learned how to cook at a refugee camp in Thailand. As you scan the menu, you'll see the use of the word "Mom." The chef is mom and she's worth having in your family. For food, the dishes are unique, but pull from familiar flavors like curries and jasmine rice. An example of this is the red curry. Get it with beef brisket, which pairs well with the lychee and eggplant in the dish. It's excellent! To start, the salmon skewers are simple, but perfectly done and dipped in chimichurri sauce. For dessert, get the white gelato on black sesame sticky rice. So good! To drink, their cocktails are unique and come bitter, sour, or a tad sweet depending on how you like it. Service is excellent. The space is small and it can get crowded, but the staff still create a warm atmosphere. It's a beautiful space! read more

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Lately we have been knocking it out with our selections and having a great experience at local places. These experiences kept going with our recent selection of Baan Mae. This was a new experience and I can say that I have never had Lao food. I enjoy learning something new and you will here. I am upset that I cannot remember the bartender's name but I thank him for his service and his creativity. He is the brains of all the drinks (I had the Clear as Cha and The Antidote) on the menu. He gave a great history of the establishment and told us of Lao food. He even let us know that the chef and entrepreneur of Baan Mae was in the back making sure the food was cooked and came out the way that best represented Laotian food. We got lucky in that we did not have reservations but were able to sit at the bar. Personally, this turned out better because we had front row seats to the mixologist making it happen with his concoctions. To fully enjoy the experience when you eat at this place you need to get over any hangups of eating with your hands in public. So, for those of you using a knife and fork to eat your chicken wings in public when you know how you get down at home. Let those silly inhibitions go and enjoy the experience the way it should be. Do not worry, they provide plenty of wet naps for you. The appetizers we went with were the Pun Khao Poon (PKP) with Pork Belly and Mae's Meatballs. The meatballs were listed as spicy but trust me you will have nothing to worry about. I like a bit of a kick and the flavor was there all the way but wish it had a tad more spice to it. Still, I would order these again in a heartbeat. The PKP is where you should really be using your hands to build a wrap with the lettuce, pork belly and other accoutrements that come with this dish. This could be a meal for some. For my entrée I went with the Filao-O-Fish sliders with the Jaew Bong Chili Jam. Crispy and sweet with a bit of heat. There is another small menu where this was located so make sure you look at all the menus to not miss any options. A solid five stars!! read more

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My daughter suggested this place and it reminded me of Burma Star in San Francisco. We had 3 appetizers including the Bird Nest salad and chicken meat balls; and 3 mains, including crab curry, pork belly, and marinated beef. Plus a bottle of white wine. Tremendously authentic and interesting food!! The service is top notch and attentive. The room is cozy and warm. You don't want to miss this place!! read more

Baan Mae - Menu notes - Laotian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was one of the best Southeast Asian dining experiences I've had in DC. I have had this restaurant on my list for a while while so was excited to walk in at 6 PM on Saturday and get lucky with a table! The decor is cheerful and brightly colored while the restaurant hums with noise. The space is dense but laid out well and conducive to enjoyment for parties of small to medium size. We were in a bit of a hurry but luckily they accommodated us immediately despite us walking in right before peak hours. We ordered the Pad See Eaw with Tofu and the Gaeng Dang Curry with eggplant, both of which were stellar and came to the table within 10 minutes of us ordering. The noodles were slightly overcooked, making them very bouncy, which we actually enjoyed a great deal. There were a lot of vegetables and tofu pieces in the dishes as well and the sauce was well balanced without being overly salty. The curry was some of the best curry I've had in DC. Deeply flavored, coconuty, and a hint of spicy without being too thin as many curries in DC tend to be. The chicken leg pieces (deboned!) were super tender as well. Usually, restaurants tend towards using shredded chicken but this was something special. The total bill for the two dishes was $48, which amounted to about $30 per person with tip, and felt like a steal given the quality of food we ate. Very excited to be back here soon. read more

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Great food and super fast service. Our food started coming out within like ten minutes of ordering which I loved. I also genuinely think Baan Mae's appetizers are top tier. Based on what I tried and what my friends ordered, you really can't go wrong. I had the sra koo and the hua pii and wow. Hua Pii 5/5 This lowkey changed my life. I usually do not like salads at all but this one was sweet and nutty in the best way. So fresh, so crunchy, and actually so good. I would go back just for this alone. Sa koo 4.8/5 Really interesting and so well done. The tapioca wrapper had that nice chewy texture and the filling had a pop of nuttiness and flavor. Wrapping it in lettuce made it feel super fresh and balanced. You can tell the food is made with care. Kimin paa (branzino) 4.8/5 Gaeng Phed (crab curry) 4/5 Both were solid and well executed. The crab curry was good but the crab flavor got a little intense toward the end for me. Crab is naturally pretty strong so it started to feel a bit heavy and slightly nauseating after a while, but still enjoyable overall. The outdoor seating is really cute with colorful chairs and decor. Just a heads up that at night or on weekends the bars next door can get pretty loud since their patios overlook the outdoor seating area. Indoor seating seemed a bit tight since the restaurant itself is pretty small. Overall I would definitely come again!! read more

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This place has the best appetizers ever!!! Absolutely get the jaew bong wings and Mae's meatballs, because it took us seconds to demolish the apps and have the plate completely clean. The entrees were okay, weren't really blown away by the flavor profile. Honestly, the apps left such a high mark that the entrees felt lacking. The portions were fairly large. We got two entrees to split between three people, and we struggled to finish everything. We just walked in and were able to secure a table. Service was also pretty quick. They also gave us disposable hand wipes, which was a nice touch. read more

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This is a great South East Asian fusion restaurant. Plenty of great options to choose from. We asked the server which two dishes he would recommend and went his recommendation. I had the whole fried branzino and my husband had the longevity noodles with shrimp. There were both very delicious. Hardly any bones in the fried branzino. Nicely crispy and very flavorful. The turmeric curry went so well with the fish and the rice. Absolutely recommend this place. Service and ambiance is great. It feels casual but it's an upscale restaurant if you look at the pricing and the quantity. No dress code though which is awesome. read more

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Immediately became one of my top favorite restaurants in dc. Going into this restaurant, you feel as if you are in your family's house. The restaurant is very small, so reservations usually are necessary. Everything was so delicious but my absolute favorites dishes included the pork jerky, spring rolls, and fried turmeric catfish. Highly recommend! read more

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Great meal, but a little pricy for what it is imo. The laab goong dang was good but a little too strong in flavor, especially as a starter. The fish sauce vinaigrette was too salty for me personally, but I think it would've paired well with some sticky rice. I really loved the gaeng dang catfish! The coconut based curry was so umami and the catfish was super tender. The mee sua was also good, but it was kind of pricy for what it was? There were like 4 pieces of shrimp on top?? read more

Baan Mae - Mee sua and gaeng dang catfish - Laotian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Small yet charming restaurant. I enjoyed a majority of the appetizers we had but the entrees were a miss. Just a heads up, most tables only accommodate 2 people! APPS: - Mae's Meatballs: 10/10 I loved these but they taste no different than your standard baby shower meatballs - Chicken Wings: 10/10 super crispy and are drenched in Jaew Bong sauce - Sakoo: 9/10 this was my first time trying this dish and I enjoyed it. The inside is filled with peanuts, lettuce & radish creating a unique crunch inside the outer gooey sticky rice shell - Naem Khao: 7/10 It's mostly chopped lettuce but tasty. - Fish Fillet: 3/10 I was so excited to try this but I think upon first bite the fillet was soggy. I didn't finish it. ENTREES: Pad See Eaw: 3/10 horrible! Probably the worst Pad See Ew I've ever had. It was really sweet and the noodles were overcooked Red Curry: 6/10. Very tomato-y and the braised beef was cubed. I would've like it better if the beef was shredded. read more

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I was excited to try Baan Mae because I always like to try new-to-me Laotian dishes and I love their sister restaurant: Thip Khao. I went on a Sunday when they had their 555 Noodle House special menu and ordered the Lao Sakoo: Tapioca pearl dumplings that are stuffed with preserved radish, peanut, cilantro topped with chili and served with baby green lettuce. I really liked these. I have had them once before at a Laotian restaurant in San Diego but liked the texture and flavor profile better here.They were softer here and slightly warm and maybe fresher seeming. The peanut filling inside was a little sweet and added interest to the dish. I really liked the chile on top which really balanced it together with crispy top of onions/ garlic. These were delicious and a 5 star dish for me. I also ordered a main dish: Khao piak sen vegan: Lao house-made tapioca & rice noodle soup, tofu, scallion. cilantro, fried onion and garlic . The house made noodles were very good, slippery and soft. The soup itself was a bit basic and very salty. The tofu was not fried. Asking for and adding chili crisp made the soup better. I did also find a piece of meat in my soup, wasn't a huge issue for me but isn't great for a dish that is labeled vegan and for a restaurant that markets itself as vegan friendly. The house made noodles in the soup were definitely different and fun to try though and the Lao Sakoo was very good. The restaurant's website had incorrect info and it was hard to reach anyone to ask questions prior to making a reservation/ visiting. The service was not great at the restaurant either which affected my rating. My general rating system: 1 star: I would stay away 2 stars: Has some good things about it but I generally don't recommend. 3 stars: Pretty good. I wouldn't go out of my way to go back but a decent place 4 stars: Great place. I would go back. 5 stars: I highly recommend stopping whatever you are doing and making plans to try it out! An Evie favorite! read more

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I made a reservation for 6 ppl here and brought my teammates here for dinner. It's quite a cozy spot - nearly elbow to elbow with the next table, so I recommend for max party of 4. Sharing plates/family style is the way to go here. We tried a ton of dishes. We had a vegan in the mix, so the dishes may not have had as /much/ flavor as theys could have been, but safe to say they had TONS of options for Vegetarian/Vegan diets and even gluten-free diets. While I love Thip Khao and Padaek more, this was a solid spot where everything we tried was great. The cocktails are quite strong (and use more of the brown liquors, so go figure), but they're good and unique! read more

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The food and seasoning was also good. We ordered the noodle, fish curry and skewers, and we liked them. Interior is a bit tight but the staff are nice and accommodating to our request. A cute hangout spot for friends and so everyone stays for a while - I recommend making reservations so you don't have to wait forever. read more

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Delicious and love the ambiance here! If you've been to Padaek, think this is familiar but yet done with a twist. We very much enjoyed all of our meal and can't wait to go back. Service and drinks are great too! read more

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Having food or smelling food has a way to transport oneself back to a specific place and time when having experienced this food in the past. This is exactly what happened to me when dining at Baan Mae. Upon my first bite of the crab curry, I was brought back to a lovely restaurant in Bangkok, where I first had crab curry. The same can be said of all the food at Baan Mae - it is so truly authentically inspired that it is difficult to understand that we are still in the DMV when you are eating such authentic flavors of SE Asia. Since moving back from SE Asia, I have rarely eaten this type of food as I am always disappointed and wanting for more. Not so with Baan Mae. My experience with Baan Mae was a lovely one, with great service, a nice ambiance and food that will keep you coming back for more. I truly look forward to returning to try the rest of their menu. read more

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who knew DC was a hotspot for southeast asian cuisine? this viet/laotian/thai/burmese-ish spot is so cozy and friendly! -thai tea: too milky, not strong at all :(( very sweet -chicken wings: large, sweet and spicy, super crispy -koi goon daeng: reminds me of burmese tea salad, super flavorful (esp w chili powder) and very filling! a bit too salty imo -pad see eaw: very chewy, fresh noodles with sweet pickled chilli. not my fan dish in general, but theirs was good with chinese broccoli read more

Baan Mae - Laotian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The name of the restaurant perfectly describes this place: an Asian mother's homestyle cooking. From the moment you walk in, the service (especially from the manager, Aleena) makes you feel completely at home, and the cozy space is so inviting you'll want to linger long after your meal is over. The menu changes daily based on the chef's inspiration, which adds a wonderful element of surprise to every visit. We started with the tea leaf salad, which was a fantastic introduction. It had an incredible crunch from the fresh cabbage and nuts, making for a perfectly refreshing start. Next, we tried the sakoo dumplings, and they were a true delight. The tapioca wrapper had a beautifully chewy texture, giving way to a savory filling with just a hint of sweetness. The Argentinian red shrimp crudo was another standout appetizer; each bite was delicate and absolutely worth savoring. For our main, we had Mom's Gaeng Som, a dish reminiscent of tom yum goong. The flavors were remarkably authentic, the closest I've found to what I've tasted in Thailand, just without the intense spice. You could tell how fresh the ingredients were because the salmon belly was the right ratio of meat and fat, and the cuttlefish had a bouncy-yet-tender texture, not at all rubbery. Honestly, our only regret was that we didn't bring more friends along, because we wanted to try everything on the menu. We will definitely be back when we next visit DC! read more

Baan Mae - Laotian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Baan Mae feels deeply personal and inventive. The vibe is colorful, cheerful, and intimate. If you choose to sit outside, it feels like you are dining in a backyard with heaters! The food absolutely delivers. The sakoo dumplings -- translucent tapioca pearls wrapped around savory fillings -- are a standout: delicate, chewy, and packed with comforting flavor. The Kimin Paa is an electrifying branzino with a yummy coconut curry sauce. The staff is excellent and guiding folks on what to eat and give stellar recommendations. It's soulful and genuinely delicious. I understand why folks are raving about this place! The thought and heart behind this venture is all there! read more

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Fantastic Laotian food!! Good fish curries are hard to find these days and Baan Mae came through with several options to choose from. I enjoyed the Gaeng Som w/ Salmon Belly which was a fantastic way to start soup season. It was full of flavor and the portion size was adequate. It was really difficult to pick a menu option as everything sounded tasty so I'll definitely be back soon to try more options. Overall, the atmosphere was cozy and it felt like a great place to hangout with a friend or date. Servers were all friendly as well. read more

Baan Mae - Mom's Gaeng Som - Laotian Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Yum yum! Love this Thai-Laos restaurant. The name means mom's house so the dishes should feel like home cooking. The food is tasty and the service is great as well. Perfect ambiance I recommend the Pun Khao Poon, it's meant to be eaten as a salad wrap with your hands. It is a lot of food so you could probably share this meal with an appetizer between two, but it's also surprisingly not too heavy despite being a pork belly dish because the pickles and lettuce balance it out. read more

Unassuming neighborhood Laotian spot with flavors that punch well above their weight, Baan Mae truly exceeded my expectations. I came recently in need of a special, flavorful meal for a friend reunion after a long time and Baan Mae's brand of homey, coziness, friendly service, and outstanding, unique food and drinks really met our needs and then some. We made a reservation a week ahead of time and got seated promptly upon arrival in an intimate window table at the front of the restaurant. It was nice and private without feeling cramped, and set the tone for the evening. We both were in the mood for a celebratory drinks, and each opted for a cocktail: her, the Hua La Pha, a refreshing Thai take on a basil gimlet and me the Mekong Bitter, a Negroni riff with a touch of tamarind. Both were shockingly good and paired well with the food! For food, we opted to share everything, which is really the move here as dishes are meant to be shared and you get to try more things. To start: the Hua PII salad, a perfect blend of refreshing, lightly acidic, herbaceous, and crunchy. The shaved egg yolk and mix of textures and flavors made it our favorite dish of the night! Next, we shared the salmon skewers, which paired three kabob sticks of perfectly cooked, tender salmon belly with an herby, garlicky dipping marinade. For our main we shared the gaeng dang crab curry with butterfly pea flower jasmine rice. The blue rice was really fun to look at but didn't taste any different than regular rice, but the curry was fantastic: rich, comforting, heavy on the crab, and not spicy. We were quite full but managed to sneak in the coconut sticky rice with Thai green tea gelato, which was an exceptional and not overly heavy way to end the meal. It's rare that I go out and every single a dish was a must order, but that was true here. My friend raved at work the next few days about how truly unreal this food was, and I'm already scheming to figure out how to fit in another visit on my next trip to DC. Absolutely charming spot with reasonably priced food that is unreal delicious, has friendly service and great drinks! Will happily come here again and again! read more

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Baan Mae - what a cute, tasty place for Laotian cuisine in the heart of Shaw! Upon entry, the twinkling lights and mahogany decor make for the perfectly warm dining experience, and the wait staff is so lovely and diligent. I ordered the peanut dumplings and the ribs, which were INCREDIBLE. A star off because my family weren't the biggest fans of their meals, and the tightness of the space can be a bit difficult to navigate. But I definitely enjoyed myself, and im eager to be back! read more

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Yum! I'm still thinking about all of the dishes that we got. Textures, tastes, and service were all wonderful! Will definitely remember this meal until I come back... very soon! read more

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This is the sister restaurant of Padaek at 7 corners. We decided to order a bunch of appetizers to try. We started with Joew Bong Wings, Salmon Belly Skewers, Sakoo, and Naem Khao. All the appetizers were delicious but the wings were a bit messy to eat. That is probably one that I would pass. There are couple other appetizers that we wanted to try if we go back. For Entree, we got the Kimin Paa and Thom Khem Ribs. The Branzino was large and fried perfectly. The accompanying sauce was delicious. The ribs is tender and falls off the bones. Reminds me of Chinese stew ribs. We cap it off with the night with coconut sticky rice with white rabbit gelato. That brings back memories of the white rabbit candy with that sticky rice paper cover that I use to stick it to my lip. Great food with excellent service. Restaurant is small but I think there is maybe a roof top? Will try to go back. read more

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I came to Baan Mae because it was listed as an up and coming restaurant and i wanted to experience the good food. The chef i believe was a chef at Padeak (which if you haven't been they have the BEST crab noodles - but that will be another review lol). Here's what i thought: Space: it's very homey, it's almost like you're transported into some aunties living room and she's there to feed you! That being said it's TIGHT, even when you get settled in it's really small, tables are pushed very close (i felt as if i was a part of the table next to us) that's how close it is. Service: the staff is so kind and very knowledgeable / willing to explain what the sauces are on things, and recommend items. It is busy so it is hard to wave someone down if you do need something. Food: We had the Filao-O-Fish (Their take on a Filet-o-Fish) but they use catfish. I had never had catfish before but knew it could be greasy? This sandwich was amazing! The fish? Crispy, meaty but airy did not feel greasy, and if it was they make good use of the pickled daikon to cut that. I believe we got both sauces on the sandwich no complaints, spectacular could have 15 of them. The Banh Canh was interesting Im not a thick noodle kind of person and especially do not like Udon but these noodles were made from tapioca starch i wonder if that was why i liked them. They were bouncy, chewy and had a good taste. I am not sure if I'd get it again - this is just because i recognize that i like a spicy broth/stew and while flavorful just not sure if id reach for it again but if someone else at the table ordered it id definitely steal a few bites. The Khao Maw Din was brought out in a stone pot and while really good the egg could have been a little runnier or even marinated and the pickled onions maybe been substituted for sauteed or crispy onions; it gave it this sour like taste that i didn't think really complimented the dish, I also with the pot would have been hotter and maybe scorched the rice a bit it would have been a nice addition to the overall taste. Overall i like how the menu was curated and how i could see how different inspirations of cuisines were added. I'd visit them again especially for the Filao-o-Fish. read more

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WOW!! Was extremely impressed with Baan Mae's menu. The flavors were all incredibly well balanced, and it was refreshing to get familiar flavors in new takes. The sakoo was perhaps my personal favorite - so deliciously umami with no meat at all! It was delightfully chewy and packed a flavor punch that I loved. The Thai tea was also great, not powdery at all and nicely sweet and creamy. The pad see ew was a little too sweet, and I wish the noodles were a little firmer, but the pork belly was great and overall I still enjoyed. The brisket curry, branzino, and naem khao were also phenomenal! The brisket was extremely tender, and the naem khao was amazing, with great texture and flavor. Service was also incredible, the hostess/waitress was extremely kind and attentive, packaging our leftovers from each course up with care and consistently checking in. Also loved the ambiance of the restaurant - cozy, with an outdoor seating section I would love to sit in next time. Will be back!! read more

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Wow. Hands down the best restaurant in DC. Everything was so delicious and new. So many items on the menu that I haven't tried before and they all sounded so delicious. We absolutely loved every single dish here and every dish is packed with flavor. Special shoutout to the sakoo, which was bouncy and a perfect mix of peanut and radish filling. The service was great. We sat at the bar and the bartender was super friendly and nice. The place is cozy but well decorated. I would definitely recommend getting a reservation before going because it was pretty packed the entire time we were there. This will be my first to recommend restaurants when people ask me about food in DC. I need to go back to try the Noodle Shop menu! read more

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Baan Mae (Thai for "Mother's House") is another restaurant from Chef Seng (who also owns Padaek and Thip Khao) that specializes in SE Asian cuisine that reminds her of her mother's cooking. The six of us were excited to try Baan Mae after hearing positive reviews. We emailed to make a reservation in advance which was definitely needed. The restaurant was packed at 6:30 PM this past Saturday, and the wait would've been long otherwise. The service was good and our food came out rather quickly upon ordering. SAKOO - 13 Each order came with five tapioca pearl dumplings, which had a chewy outer layer (made of sago?) and a distinctly sweet, peanut filling. There were a couple toppings like radish and chilis to elevate the flavor profile with crisp and spice. There was also a bit of cilantro, which I wasn't a fan of, but the tapioca texture made it worth it. MUU LOD PORK JERKY - 17 Each order came with about 10-12 thin, long pieces of pork jerky that's been marinated with a side of chili sauce to enjoy them with. Between the six of us, we only got maybe one or two pieces each, so I didn't eat enough of it to fully remember what stood out. People in my group seemed to enjoy it though. SATAY NOODLES - 15 The noodles were mixed with a peanut satay sauce, chili oil, and topped with lots of fried garlic, peanuts, and scallions. I would recommend mixing the noodles thoroughly with the sauce before eating. We didn't do that, so there was lots of sauce on the bottom. The sauce was very nutty, sweet and spicy, which the noodles soaked up well. Very delicious, and we'd definitely recommend it. GAENG PHED (+ CRAB) - 35 Between crab, shrimp (33), or vegan (25), we had to go for the crab. We also chose the butterfly pea flower Jasmine rice over the rice vermicelli noodles. The red curry was phenomenal -- rich, savory, with a bit of chili spice. The crab was a unique choice for protein (normally used to chicken or beef) but it worked well. The soft and tender texture soaked up the curry well. The butterfly pea flower rice was fancy -- not sure if the coloring did much for the flavor or if it's just for the aesthetics. The curry was on the saltier side, and we thought there should be more rice for the amount of curry we got. THOM KHEM - 25 Each order came with four (?) pork ribs that's been braised with a delicious caramelized fish sauce and lychee glaze that was on the sweeter side, but still somewhat savory. They were generously topped with fried garlic/shallot, chilis, and fresh herbs. The meat was tender and fell off the bone easily. The sticky rice on the side was the perfect texture to soak up the sauce. Yum! KIMIN PAA - 35 This came with a whole pan-fried Branzino that's been deboned (I think), sitting on top of a turmeric coconut sauce and topped generously with garlic, pickled onions, and chilis. It came with more butterfly pea flower rice. The fish was very tender with a nice crispy skin layer. The deep, golden-yellow sauce was creamy, slightly sweet with some earthiness that went well with the fish and rice. It's a pricier dish and more of a "treat yoself" option. PAD SEE EAW (+ PORK BELLY) - 19 I was a bit hesitant when we ordered a Pad See Eaw, since it's something you can get at any Thai restaurant, but I was pleasantly surprised by the one at Baan Mae. First of all, the sauce coated every ingredient perfectly, giving each bite the ideal balance of sweet and savory soy flavors. What impressed me the most was the texture of the wide rice noodles. They didn't stick together, and each one had a nice bouncy, soft texture that made me crave "just one more bite". The crispy bok choy was a nice touch. We definitely recommend the pad see eaw! It is pricy given the small portion size. We paid almost 34 pp (after tax and tip) and we were still hungry, so we went elsewhere for a second dinner. The food here is delicious, but expect to shell out 40-50 pp if you expect to be full. To be fair, we also shelled out on a couple pricier entrees, like the red curry and grilled branzino. read more

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